Why is referencing so important?

1. References acknowledge that part of your work is based on the work and material of others
2. Failure to acknowledge that some of your opinions and information have come from others may be regarded as plagiarism. See Study guides on referencing for advice on how to present other peoples ideas through paraphrase and quotation to avoid any suspicion of plagiarism.
3. References show your reader the range and nature of your source materials
4. It is important that any reference you give to published sources provides sufficient detail to enable anyone to find for themselves the book or article you are citing. An accurate and detailed description of your source allows your reader to find and read it. Your tutor will therefore be able to evaluate how you have used source material to develop your own work
5. Remember you are marked/assessed on the presentation of your work. Good referencing is a key part of this:
   • you can lose marks if the content, quality and layout of your references are of a poor standard
   • you can pick up marks for high quality referencing

Back to Citing references